I started training in 1994, under Sensei Georges Dussart (5^th dan) at Canterbury Christ Church College SKC. After a short break in training, when I first started primary school teaching, I returned to Canterbury and achieved 1^st dan in 2002. I instructed regularly at the club, overseeing student successes in gradings and competitions. After “persuasion” from Bob Poynton, I opened Shiseikan SKC in Maidstone in 2010.

I have competed at local and national level, winning bronze in the team kumite at the Essex trophy in 1997 (as part of a hastily formed team with Dave Austin) and achieving runner-up in the veteran kumite event at the Southern Region Championships in 2016. I have also competed as a guest of Thames Kaizen Association, winning both the senior kata and kumite categories.

Karate is one of my two passions, the other being painting (murals and canvases, not painting and decorating.)